Potato seed cutter



Jan. 11, 1949.v J.-A. cuMMl|N' v;s Erm. I 2,458,568

PoTATo SEED GUTTER los' Frank B. CummingsI Jan. ll, 1949.- i .LAfCUMMlNGs Erm.-

POTATO SEED CUTTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Marc-h 19, 1948 Fl'gf4.

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mmm a 6C` Wr w JF w Patented `lan. 11, 1949 STATES PATENT OT'FF ICE POTATO SEED 'CUTTER John A. CummingsV and Frank B. Cummings, Ban.-

goi-Mainm said Frank B. Cummingsfassignor. to said J ohnA. Cummings Application Marchl9, 1948, Serial No.` 15,1904

(Cl. 14S-78) 2 Claims. l

This inventiowrelates to machines for cutting seed potatoes into severahparts. or pieces preparatory to planting. It isa well known fact that in most instances a potatoof the average size is solarge thatthe season itA remains in the soil as the seedis not suiciently longto `convey all the vitalityv of the-seedinto-the new potatoes raised from the original one, and. for said reason it is a great Wasting ofseed.potatoesto plant them whole. The object of. myfinvention, therefore, is toiprovide a power-operated-machine by which seed potatoes may be'properly, cut in relatively large quantities per day.

Another object oithis invention is the provision of apower-operated machineior cutting potatoes which employs both stationaryvertical knives for longitudinally. halv-ing thepotatoesI andzvertical reciprocable blades for transverselydividi-ng the potatoes.

Yet anotherl object of this invention is-the provision ofa potatoicutting machine wherein the potatoes. fed to ltheznachine arerchan-nelized and directed one at a time in eachchannelfrst to the Vertical stationary knivesandthence .to thereciprocating blade to complete. the slicing of. the potato as. desired before discharge. from the machine..

A` further object of. thisinvention'is the provision .of a potato cutting machine. having adjustable centering means carried by the bed ofthe machine for insuring. the proper` positioningofthe potatoes relative to the stationary knives..

A still further object-oi this invention is the provision oa potato. cutting machine having a dispensing drum for selectively and.. simultaneously supplying potatoes toachannelized bed, which dispensing drum is. driven by a motor mounted on the frame ofthe machine and which dispensing drum is also operativelyand adjustably connected tov the vertical .blade for. automatically reciprocating the blade.:

Yetanother object Vof the. invention isA the provision of a potato. cutting machine wherein the means, adjustabl-y` connectedto. the. dispensing drum and'to the movable vertical blades simultaneously reciproc'atesthe blades vertically and actuates potato directing lingers longitudinally, which ngers. aredisposed'through. channels in the bedof the machine..

Other objects andadvantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described andclaimed,` reference being had to the laccompanying drawingsforming part hereof, wherein. likenunierals-` referv to like parts throughout,- and in-:whlch:

Figurel is a side elevational view of the ,potato cutting machine in total assembly;

Figure 2 is a top planviewof .the potato cutting machine;

Figure 3 is a rear. elevational View of the lpotato cutting machine;

Figure 4 -is a longitudinaLverti-cal sectional view taken substantially'inthe plane of. section line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary trans-verse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5--5 of Figure 2.;v

Figure 6 is a fragmentarytransverse vertical sectional view taken substantiallyon the plane of section line 6-6.of Figure 4.;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 'I-1 of Figure 4; and

Figure 8. is a fragmentary perspective view of the discharge end ofthe machine showing the spaced relationship of the Vertical. stationary knivesv to the vertical reciproca-ble blade.

Generally indicated at Ill is the potato cutting machine which comprises a frame having a base member I2 to which is secured a pair'of vertical supports I4, suitable' longitudinal brace members I6, and suitable transverse members I8 intermediate the extremities of the supports I4. The vertical supports I4 atA the discharge end of the machine are provided with Vertical slots 20, the

significance of which will beset lforth hereinafter.A

Supported on the vertical'supports I4 adjacent the bottom of the slots 2li-is a horizontal bed portion 22.

Suitably mounted to the bed portion 22 and the vertical supports I4 is a conventional hopper 24, to the inner inclined bottom of whichk is secured a plurality of transversely spaced longitudinal bars 26 Which are preferably tapered at both ends and which form channeled passages between the bars. Transversely across the hopper and rotatably journaled in the sides thereof adjacent the top is a paddle 28`which is spaced from the inclined bottom of the hopper and is adjustable. By rotating the paddle 28 to a desired position, the size of the vpotatoesentering` the' channels in the hopper may be regulated.

Extending transversly of they open end lof the hopper 24 is a shaft 301.journa1ed through suitable apertures in the vertical supports I4 whichsupport and form. the axis of rotation of a dispensing'drum 32. To the periphery of the drum are secured a plurality of longitudinally spaced lingers 34. As many ngersare-pr'ovided as'there are: channels inv the hopper.. Itu wllwrea'dily-be seen that as the dispensing drum 32 is rotated, the lingers 34 will pass through the channels in the hopper and lift up potatoes and transport them to the top end of a downwardly inclined chute 36, the top end of this chute 36 being supported by the vertical supports I4 immediately above the dispensing drum 32, with its bottom end resting on the bed portion 22.

The chute 36 is provided with a pair of side guards 38 and a base 40, upon which base is secured a plurality of spaced longitudinal upright bars 42 which are preferably tapered at their top ends. The passageways between these bars 42, therefore, constitute channels for the potatoes to pass through. The top end of the base is preferably provided with a series of transverse apertures 44 for allowing dirt to fall through the chute which may accidentally have been picked up with the potatoes.

The bed portion 22 is provided with a pair of spaced longitudinal side members 46 and a base 48, which base at the discharge end of the machine I0 is provided with a plurality of spaced longitudinal bars in alignment with the bars 42 of the chute 36. cured to the side members 46 and extending transversely across the bed portion 22 and overlying the base portion 48 thereof is a bar 52 which supports the means for centering the potatoes passing through the channels. This centering means consists of vertical springs 54 depending from the transverse bar 52 and disposed within each channel, the springs 54 being secured to the transverse bar 52, as shown in Figure 5,

by appropriate screws 56 and nuts 58. Beneath each spring member 54 a pair of angulated springs 60 are provided which are removably secured to the longitudinal bars 50 by means of appropriate screws 62 and nuts 64. The transverse bar 52 is additionally resiliently secured to the forward vertical support I4 by means of springs 66. 'n

Extending transversely across the bed and supported on the longitudinal bars 50 and the side members 46 is a bar 68 from which depends a plurality of spaced knives '10, each of which stationary knives 'I0 is disposed in a channel in front of the centering springs 54 and 60.

Secured to the transverse brace member I8 beneath the bed portion 22 is a motor 12, to the shaft of which is secured a pulley 'i4 around which is entrained an endless web 16 which operatively engages a second pulley 'I8 rotatably mount-ed on the brace member I8, as shown at 80. Concentric with and adjacent to the pulley 'I8 is a further reduced pulley 82 around which is entrained an endless web 84 operatively connected to another pulley 86, the shaft of which pulley 86 is rotatably mounted on the vertical support I4. This Pulley shaft further carries a reduced pulley 88 around which is entrained another endless web 90 operatively engaging a further pulley 92 carried on the dispensing drum 32.

Secured to the shaft of the dispensing drum 32 is a crank arm 94 whose free end is pivoted to a longitudinal adjustable link 96. The link 96 is actually a split link whose length may be adjusted by a bar 88 having screws |00 extending therefrom. Those screws are journaled through slots |02 provided in the link 96. Suitable nuts engage the screws to iiX the length Iof the adjusted link 96 at a desired position.

A pair of longitudinal rods |04 are provided Adjustably and hingedly se- 4 which are terminally pivoted to the rear vertical supports I4 and a pair of vertical pitmans |06. The pitmans |06 are in turn pivotally secured to a rod |08 which is journaled in the slot 20 transversely of the bed portion 22 and from which depends a reciprocable blade I I0.

Intermediate the ends of the rods |04 and pivoted thereto, a further pair of pitmans IIZ are provided which are generally vertically dis posed and are in turn pivotally connected to the adjustable link members 66.

Operatively connected to the pitmans ||2 and the adjustable link members 96 is a transverse shaft or rod I I4 which extends through a pair of longitudinal slots I|6 provided in the side members 46 of the bed portion 22. Removably secured as at |I8 to the transverse rod II4 is a. plurality of spaced upstanding potato-directing members or fingers |20 which potato-directing fingers are disposed in the channels of said bed.

In practical operation, the motor drives the dispensing drum which, by virtue of the fingers 34, lifts the potatoes from the bottom -of the hopper 24 and deposits them on the downwardly lnclined chute 38, causing them to travel through definite channels. The potatoes then drop on to the bed portion 22 where they are pushed forward to the discharge end of the bed by the iingers |20. The potatoes passing through the channels in the bed portion 22 are centered by the springs 54 and 60. The potatoes are then longitudinally halved by the stationary vertical knives 'In and are thereafter transversely divided by the reciprocating blade IIO. Thus, it will be seen that the lingers |20 which push the potatoes along on the bed portion 22 are actuated simultaneously with the reciprocating blade |I0.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A potato seed cutter comprising a frame having a bed, a plurality of longitudinal bars on said bed forming channels for feeding potatoes in separate paths across said bed, a dispensing drum for selectively and simultaneously supplying potatoes to said channels, a motor mounted on said frame, means operatively connecting said motor to said dispensing drum for driving said drum, a potato-directing finger slidably mounted in said bed extending vertically into each of said Channels, a stationary vertical knife in each channel supported by said bed for longitudinally halving potatoes passing thereby, adjustable centering means in each channel carried by said bed intermediate the directing finger and the stationary knife, slots in said frame beyond said stationary knivesl at the discharge end of said channels, a vertical blade slidably mounted in said slots extending transverse all of said channels for transversely dividing said potatoes, and adjustable means operatively connecting said blade to said dispensing drum for Ireciprocating said blade in said slots, said adjustablecentering means lncluding a bar extending transversely of said bed and overlying said channels, springs removably secured to the ends of said bar and to said frame, vertical spring members depending from said bar and extending into said channels, and angulated horizontal spring members depending from said channel bars and also extending into said channels, said reciprocating means including crank arms rotatably mounted on said drum, adjustable connecting links pivotally secured to said crank arms, longitudinal slots in said bed, a rod extending transversely of said channels and extending through said slots pivotally secured at its extremities to said adjustable links, a pair of pivotal arms carried by said frame, pitmans Iconnecting said pivotal arms to said blade, and link means connecting said transverse rod to said pivotal arms for simultaneous actuation of said blade and said transverse rod.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said transverse rod carries longitudinally spaced p0- tato directing fingers disposed in said channels.

JOHN A. CUMMINGS. FRANK B. CUMMINGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,030,154 Barnebey June 18, 1912 1,046,551 Cass Dec. 10, 1912 1,095,620 Blair May 5, 1914 10 1,118,923 Cummings De@ 1, 1914 1,347,058 Schroeder July 20, 1920 1,487,905 Walton Mar. 25, 1924 1,719,669 Novak July 2, 1929 1,865,986 White July 5, 1932 15 1,990,774 Butler Feb. 12, 1935 2,232,089 Wool Feb. 18, 1941 2,299,567 Cummings Oct. 20, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 20 Number Country- Date 449,613 Great Britain June 29, 1936 

